Dr. Afif bin Bahardin (born 13 May 1985) is a Malaysian politician who has served as Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Taman Medan since August 2023. He served as Member of the Penang State Executive Council (EXCO) in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) state administrations under Chief Ministers Lim Guan Eng and Chow Kon Yeow from May 2013 to his resignation in March 2020 as well as Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Seberang Jaya from May 2013 to March 2023. He is a member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party (BERSATU), a component party of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition and was a member of the People's Justice Party (PKR), a component party of the PH coalition. He has also served as Member of the Supreme Council of BERSATU since January 2024. He also served as the Deputy Youth Chief of PKR from August 2014 to November 2018 and Deputy Division Chief of PKR of Permatang Pauh.^[1]

Personal background

He grew up in Shah Alam, Selangor. He received his secondary education at Maktab Rendah Sains MARA Lenggong/Chenderoh in Perak and had his university education at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), graduated with a bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery.

After leaving university, Afif worked as medical officer at the Seberang Jaya Hospital and Sungai Buloh Hospital. In October 2010, Afif married Mardhiah Zakaria. The couple have two children.

Political career

Member of the Penang State Executive Council (2013–2020)

On 9 May 2013, Afif was appointed as Penang EXCO Member in charge of Agriculture, Agro-based industries, Rural development and Health, replacing Law Choo Kiang who had been appointed as the new Speaker of the Assembly.^[2]

Member of the Penang State Legislative Assembly (2013–2023)

2013 Penang state election

In 2013 Penang state election, Afif made his electoral debut after being nominated by PR to contest for Seberang Jaya state seat. Afif won the seat and was elected to the Penang State Legislative Assembly after defeating Mohammad Nasir Abdullah of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and independent candidate Shamsut Tabrej GM Ismail Maricar by a majority of 2,459 votes.

2018 Penang state election

In the 2018 Penang state election, Afif was renominated by PH to defend the Seberang Jaya seat. Afif defended the seat and was reelected to the Penang Assembly after defeating Abu Bakar Sidekh Zainul Abidin of BN and Ahmad Rafaei Rashid of Gagasan Sejahtera (GS) by a majority of 7,421 votes.

2023 disqualification

In March 2023, the Seberang Jaya seat held by Afif was declared vacant after he violated the state anti-party hopping law of Penang by Speaker Law.

Member of the People's Justice Party

In the PKR party elections in 2014, Afif was elected as the Deputy Youth Chief. He took over the position from Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin.

During the 2018 PKR party elections, Afif contested for the PKR Youth Chief position but was defeated by Deputy Presidential candidate Rafizi Ramli loyalist Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.^[3]

On 24 June 2020, he left PKR for BERSATU.^[4]

Member of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (since 2023)

2023 Selangor state election

In the 2023 Selangor state election, Afif was renominated by PN to contest for the Taman Medan state seat. Afif won and was elected to the Selangor State Legislative Assembly as Taman Medan MLA for the first term after narrowly defeating Ahmad Akhir Pawan Chik of PH by a very small majority of only 30 votes.

Member of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party

On 24 June 2020, he joined BERSATU.

On 28 January 2024, Afif was appointed as Member of the Supreme Council of BERSATU by party president Muhyiddin Yassin alongside Member of Parliament (MP) for Padang Serai Azman Nasrudin and former Perak EXCO Member and former Tualang Sekah MLA Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi.

Election results